POLU9UK Blog

The Government must double down on its plans to assist UK families

with their energy bills this winter.

Millions of UK households are set to face record high energy bills this winter with an
estimated £129bn increase in fuel costs, equivalent to over 5% of GDP. These skyrocketing
energy bills are largely a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Europe being cut off
from Russian natural gas supplies as a result. While the government has already pledge to
provide aid to UK families the current plan would still leave millions of households in fuel
poverty, therefore we feel that the government and the treasury must take more drastic
action in order to help millions of the most vulnerable people from suffering under the
looming energy crisis.
The energy bills of homes across the UK have hit record highs as the war in Ukraine pushes
natural gas prices to new hights. Yet despite government plans to provide UK households
with a £400 rebate on their energy bills and freeze energy prices at £2500 per year for 6
months starting in October it is still estimated that 2.8 million households will face the
threat of fuel poverty in the coming winter. It is the most vulnerable within the UK that are
the most susceptible to the looming crisis, individuals on low incomes such as the elderly or
people with disabilities that prevent them from regular work. Many of these most
vulnerable people are being forced to choose between heating their home or earing full
meals. No first world nation that dares to call itself modern should have people who are
forced to choose between eating and heating, clearly something needs to be done. In order
to prevent millions of people from suffering this winter the government must re-evaluate its
current policy. In addition to the help already being provided an additional £400 for each
household should be provided, A further £400 in additional funding for vulnerable groups
such as pensioners and low-income families on a means tested basis, £500 in funding for
those with disabilities that prevent or limit their ability to work and £500 in additional child
benefits. These more targeted benefits would ensure that many of the households facing
fuel poverty will be able to afford their energy bills this winter, without having to skip out on
meals. These funds should be raised by expanding the governments proposal for an energy
profits levy, redirecting some of the huge profits companies like British gas have made as a
result of the current energy crisis back into the hands of consumers as well as through the
investment allowance scheme, encouraging companies to reinvest their profits back into the
country.